Tuesday, July 04, 2017

I Have Volunteers

Each year I purchase a few annuals to put in pots on my deck. Every other year or so I change out the soil. This year I did not replace the soil as I was in California. When I returned I got a fertile sunflower from seed dropped by a bird during the winter feedings on my deck. (All photos were taken through a somewhat dirty window!)

This sunflower is one of those giants you see in fields in France or perhaps our own Midwest. It is huge and I have staked it in the hopes of saving it from our winds and torrential downpours. Of course, it really sucks up all the moisture and I have to go out and water each day. It seems that the goldfinch are impatient for it to flower.

The male and female are not as disheveled as they have probably gotten their young ones out of the nest and on their way.But their impatience is strong. So now they are tearing apart the seeds of another volunteer in my petunia pot...the zinnias. It is a colorful show I must admit, although it will probably ensure no zinnia volunteers next year.

Cool! I love those huge ones. I go by a yard that has them sometimes, not this year tho. I got some seeds for them but it isin't large n the leaves are getting eaten under chicken wire! Something always seems to eat them before they bloom in this yard. The cats are getting a lot of rodents at least.